Automatic pet food dispenser

ABSTRACT

An automatic pet food dispenser, preferably portable, comprises an inclined feed board, preferably grooved for food retention, a flat base and raised sides connected to the board, a raised collar secured to the board adjacent the rear end of the upper surface thereof and a funnel shaped hollow container, preferably having a closable top, the container having an opening in the lower front portion thereof substantially matching a like opening in the collar. The container may be fixedly or releasably secured to the collar and contains feed measuring means on at least one surface thereof.

United States Patent 1191 Fleury l 19/535 Porte lli I i Oct. 9, 1973AUTOMATIC PET FOOD DISPENSER [76] Inventor: Sam Portelli, 14747 ArchwoodSt., Pnmary Exammer Hugh Chamblee van Nuys' Calif. Attorney--John J.Posta, Jr.

[22] Filed: 7 Feb. 23, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT 21 A l.N .z228497 1 PP I Anautomatic pet food dispenser, preferably portable, comprises an inclinedfeed board, preferably grooved [52] U.S. Cl 119/52 R for food retention,a flat base and raised sides con- [51] Int, Cl A0lk 05/00 neared to theboard, a raised collar secured to the [58] Field of Search ll9/5l, 52 R,51.5, board adjacent the rear end of the upper surface 1 3. 53-5, 5thereof and a funnel shaped hollow container, preferably having aclosable top, the container having an [56] References Cited opening inthe lower front portion thereof substan- UNITED STATES PATENTS tiallymatching a like opening in the collar. The con- 396 563 H1889 Hawkins119 53 miner may be fixedly releasably Secured to the 886:806 5/1908119/52 R lar and contains feed measuring means on at least one 947,2621/1910 119 53 surface thereof. 962,635 61910 119 53 1,096703 541914 10Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 AUTOMATIC PET FOOD DISPENSER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A first embodiment of theimprovedautomatic pet The present invention relate to animal feeder 5food dispenser of the invention is shown schematically ticularly 'of theportable pet feeding type.

2. Description of Prior Art Some animal feeders are complicated andexpensive and/or cumbersome and many are not adapted for use with dryparticulate feeds. Most pet feeders, if simple in construction, are notautomatic and do not provide adequate means for measurement andprotection of dry particulate feed stored therein. Moreover, the sizeand nature of many of such feeders renders them nonportable and, thus,inconvenient to use. Furthermore, many of such feeders do not provideadequate means for the controlled release of dry particulate feedtherefrom; consequently, inadequate or excessive feed supply rates maybeencountered. Some feeders, due to the arrangement of their componentsalso are difficult to clean and to maintain and/or to supply withcontrolled amounts of such feed. Since dry particulate feeds are usuallysold in disposable cartons or bags it would be desirable to provideimproved automatic pet food dispensing means which would simplify thetransfer and measurement of such feed and also avoid contaminationthereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The automatic pet food dispenser of theinvention is substantially asset forth in the Abstract'above. It isparticularly adapted for the automatic feeding of household 'and yardpets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and the like. Thus, thecontainer of the dispenser can be filled and the pet then exposes thefeed only as and at 'the rate it eats the feed. The dispenser can bemade portable, is easily cleaned and filled, affords means forvmeasuring the amounts'of any particulate feed supplied and used, and hasmeans for controlling the rate of release of such feed from the storagecontainer thereof. It fully protects such stored feed againstcontamination. Moreover, the dispenser is simple, durable andinexpensive. Y

In one embodiment, the storage container portion of the dispensercomprises a point-of-sale dry particulate pet food package which is ofsuch shape, size and construction as to facilitate shelf display andstorage before and after sale. In this regard, the container preferablyhas square sides for eaxe of stacking and shelf display.

The container may be a disposable paper, paperboard, fiberboard'orsimilar carton with a perforted flap area from which, after the flap isremoved, the feed will be co'ntrollably released from the container inthe dispenser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective viewof a first embodiment of the dispenser of the invention with a porinFIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Referring specifically to FIG. I, anautomatic dry particulate pet food dispenser 10 is shown, which includesan inclined feed board 12, generally square or rectangular, supported inthe forwardly inclined position by connection with sides 14 which areraised above the level of board 12 and which extend below that level tocooperatively form a flat base 16 (as shown particularly in FIG. 3). Itwill be understood that the base could, if desired, be formed from aseparate board or the like secured to the lower ends of sides 14.

Preferably, the upper surface 18 of board 12 includes a plurality ofshallow transverse grooves or ribs 20 which aid in regulating the rateof dispersal of feed over surface 18. Grooves 20 are shallow enough soas not to impede removal of feed from surface 18, and have the advantageof trapping fines which the pet ordinarily would not eat. The board,sides and base can be fabricated of any durable, cleanable material,preferable sheet metal or the like.

Extending upwardly from surface 18 and secured thereto, is a hollowcollar 22, preferably fabricated of sheet metal, although plastic, woodand the like are also suitable. Collar 22 is provided withinterconnected upwardly and outwardly sloping sides 24 and a cutawayfront portion 26. Collar 22 is secured to surface 18, as by nails,screws or the like, generally shown in FIG. 3 and designated by thenumeral 28.

A dry particulate feed container 30 is provided, as shown in FIGS. 1 and3, which is hollow and generally funnel shaped. Container 30 can befabricated of sheet metal or other easily cleanable material, such aswood, plastic or the like. Container 30 preferably includes fourinter-connected downwardly and inwardly sloping walls 32, open upper andlower ends 34 and 36, respectively, and an openable upper lid 38hingedly secured to awall 32 by a hinge 40.

Preferably, container 30 is squqre, rectangular or otherwise polygonalin horizontal cross-section. This is to facilitate controlled release ofdry feed from container 30 by the natural feed-delaying action affordedby the sharp angled corners of the container. Moreover, when soconfigured, container 30 can be more easily stored without rolling, asopposed to oval or circular (in cross-section) containers. The lower endof container 30 is configured relative to collar 22 so as to be slidablyreceived therein for secure frictional fitting. Although container 30can be fixedly secured in collar 22, it is preferred to have itreleasably secured to facilitate periodic cleaning thereof and forstorage purposes.

Container 30 may include feed measuring indicia disposed on the outer orinner surface of at least one of the walls 32 thereof. As shown in FIG.I, indicia 42 are disposed on the outer surface of front wall 32.Indicia 42 can be a decal, embossing, engraving or the like, on theappropriate surface or surfaces in the form of, for example, a graduatedscale. A comparison of the feed level in container 30 with lid 38raised) with the scale of indicia 42 indicates how much feed is left incontainer 30. I

Container 30 includes dispensing means in the form of a small opening 44adjacent end 36 in front wall 32.

Opening 44 is disposed in cut-away portion 26 of collar 22 so that dryparticulate feed can flow unimpeded therefrom unto surface 18.

Dispenser is compact, inexpensive and durable. Dry particulate feeddisposed in container 30 automatically dispenses from opening 44 as roomon surface 18 is made available for the same (by the pet feedingtherefrom) and is distributed on surface 18 uniformly by grooves 20. Theweight of the feed in container 30, heighth of sides 14, the shape ofcontainer 30 and the size of opening 44 are such as to preventuncontrolled pouring of the feed from container 30.

Container 30 can be removed from collar 22 for cleaning and storage ofdispenser l0. Dispenser 10 can be made light and portable to facilitatesuch cleaning and storage. Lid 38 and walls 32 also protect the feedfrom contamination before use, so that the device is sanitary.

A second embodiment of the dispenser of the invention is schematicallydepicted in FIGS. 2 and 4. Components of the device similar to those ofFIGS. 1 and 3 bear the same numeral designations followed by the lettera. Thus,- FIG. 2 disclosed a dispenser 100 which includes an inclinedboard 12a with an upper surface 18a (which in this instance isungrooved), raised sides 140 including base 160 secured thereto, acollar 220 having sides 24a and a cut-away portion 26a secured tosurface 180, and a container 300 releasably disposable in collar 22a.

Container 30a includes downwardly and inwardly sloped walls 32afabricated, preferably, of paper, paperboard, fiberboard or otherfibrous cellulosic materialJContainer 3011 includes downwardly andinwardly sloped walls 32a fabricated preferably of paper, paperboard,fiberboard or other fibrous cellulosic material. Container 300 may alsobe provided with a closed bottom portion 45 and a top closure 46, thelatter of which may comprise a plurality of overlapping closure flaps48.

Dispensing means are provided at the lower end of one wall 32a in theform of a closed perforated flap 50 which is stripable from that wall32a to form an opening 44a for dispensing of feed in the mannerdescribedfor opening 44. Container 30a can be, for example, the point-of-sale drypet food package itself which can be slipped into and is held by collar22a before and after removal of flap 50 to complete the presentdispenser 10a. After container 30a is empty, it can be removed forcollar 22a and disposed of. A new filled container 30a can then besubstituted therefor. Accordingly, improved ease and convenience forinexpensive automatic pet food feeding in an improved device isprovided.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic pet food dispenser comprising, in combination:

an inclined feed board,

a base and raised sides connected to said board,

a raised collar secured to the upper surface of said board, and

a hollow funnel-shaped container secured adjacent its lower end in saidcollar, said container including adjacent its lower end dispensing meansfor releasing pet food from said container to said feed board.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is portable andwherein said container includes an openable closure at the upper endthereof and is adapted for use with dry particulate feed.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said closure is hinged, wherein saiddispensing means comprises arelatively small opening in the front ofsaid container, and wherein said collar is generally centrally disposedadjacent the rear end of said board.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said container is generallypolygonal in horizontal cross-section and includes feed measuringindicia on at least one surface thereof, wherein said collar includes aforwardly disposed cut-away portion and wherein said base is generallyflat.

5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein said base, sides, container, boardand collar comprise metal and wherein the upper surface of said boardincludes a plurality of shallow transverse grooves.

6. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said container is disposable and isseparate from and releasably insertable in said collar and includes aclosed bottom, wherein said closure comprises a releasably folded topfor said container, and wherein said dispensing means comprises a smallclosed flap separable from the body of said container adjacent the lowerfront end thereof.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein said base is fiat and wherein saidcollar is generally centrally disposed adjacent the rear end of saidboard.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein said container is generallypolygonal in horizontal cross-section, wherein said collar includes aforwardly disposed cutaway portion generally matching said flap andwherein said flap comprises a perforated portion of said container.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the upper surface of said boardincludes a plurality of shallow transverse grooves and wherein saidcontainer includes feed measuring indicia on at least one surfacethereof.

10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein said container comprisesself-supporting fibrous cellulosic material and said board, base, sidesand collar comprise metal.

1. An automatic pet food dispenser comprising, in combination: aninclined feed board, a base and raised sides connected to said board, araised collar secured to the upper surface of said board, and a hollowfunnel-shaped container secured adjacent its lower end in said collar,said container including adjacent its lower end dispensing means forreleasing pet food from said container to said feed board.
 2. Thedispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is portable and wherein saidcontainer includes an openable closure at the upper end thereof and isadapted for use with dry particulate feed.
 3. The dispenser of claim 2wherein said closure is hinged, wherein said dispensing means comprisesa relatively small opening in the front of said container, and whereinsaid collar is generally centrally disposed adjacent the rear end ofsaid board.
 4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said container isgenerally polygonal in horizontal cross-section and includes feedmeasuring indicia on at least one surface thereof, wherein said collarincludes a forwardly disposed cut-away portion and wherein said base isgenerally flat.
 5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein said base, sides,container, board and collar comprise metal and wherein the upper surfaceof said board includes a plurality of shallow transverse grooves.
 6. Thedispenser of claim 2 wherein said container is disposable and isseparate from and releasably insertable in said collar and includes aclosed bottom, wherein said closure comprises a releasably folded topfor said container, and wherein said dispensing means comprises a smallclosed flap separable fRom the body of said container adjacent the lowerfront end thereof.
 7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein said base is flatand wherein said collar is generally centrally disposed adjacent therear end of said board.
 8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein saidcontainer is generally polygonal in horizontal cross-section, whereinsaid collar includes a forwardly disposed cut-away portion generallymatching said flap and wherein said flap comprises a perforated portionof said container.
 9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the upper surfaceof said board includes a plurality of shallow transverse grooves andwherein said container includes feed measuring indicia on at least onesurface thereof.
 10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein said containercomprises self-supporting fibrous cellulosic material and said board,base, sides and collar comprise metal.